Luxembourg’s NCER-PD Celebrates a Decade Advancing Parkinson’s Research from Precision Medicine to Prevention

Luxembourg’s NCER-PD Celebrates a Decade Advancing Parkinson’s Research from Precision Medicine to Prevention

(IN BRIEF) Luxembourg marked the tenth anniversary of the National Centre for Excellence in Research on Parkinson’s Disease (NCER-PD) with a two-day symposium highlighting a decade of progress in Parkinson’s research, clinical care, and prevention. Funded by the National Research Fund (FNR), NCER-PD has united major research and healthcare institutions including LIH, IBBL, LCSB, CHL, and LNS to establish international cohorts and advance biomarker discovery. The event, attended by international experts such as Prof Nobutaka Hattori, Prof Roger Barker, and Prof Andrew Singleton, showcased Luxembourg’s leadership in translational research and its transition from precision medicine to disease prevention. Professor Rejko Krüger, NCER-PD Coordinator, emphasised continued collaboration to ensure access to advanced therapies and personalised prevention strategies.

(PRESS RELEASE) LUXEMBOURG, 20-Oct-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Luxembourg’s scientific and medical communities came together on October 16 and 17 to mark a major milestone — the tenth anniversary of the National Centre for Excellence in Research on Parkinson’s Disease (NCER-PD). Funded by the National Research Fund (FNR), NCER-PD was launched in 2015 to drive advancements in Parkinson’s disease research and improve the quality of life for those affected.

Held under the theme “Advancing from Precision Medicine towards Prevention in Parkinson’s Disease: Celebrating 10 Years of NCER-PD,” the two-day symposium brought together global experts, community representatives, and policymakers to reflect on a decade of progress. The event featured remarks from Dr Stéphanie Obertin, Luxembourg’s Minister for Research and Higher Education, who praised NCER-PD as a key pillar in the nation’s dedication to combating neurodegenerative diseases through innovation and collaboration.

International leaders in Parkinson’s research shared their latest findings on prevention, early diagnosis, and next-generation therapies. Among the speakers were Prof Nobutaka Hattori of Juntendo University and RIKEN (Japan), who discussed breakthroughs in biomarkers; Prof Roger Barker of the University of Cambridge (UK), who presented advances in cell-based treatments; and Prof Andrew Singleton from the Global Parkinson’s Genetics Program (US), who highlighted new insights from global genetic studies. The event also featured a session honouring early-career researchers and the legacy of Prof Rudi Balling, NCER-PD’s founding coordinator.

Since its inception, NCER-PD has united Luxembourg’s leading biomedical and clinical institutions — the Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), the Integrated BioBank of Luxembourg (IBBL), the Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB) at the University of Luxembourg, the Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg (CHL), and the Laboratoire National de Santé (LNS). Together, these organisations have built internationally recognised research cohorts, integrating data from patients, at-risk individuals, and healthy volunteers. This collaboration has led to critical progress in identifying biomarkers for earlier diagnosis and in uncovering mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases.

Professor Rejko Krüger, NCER-PD Coordinator, reaffirmed the centre’s commitment to advancing from treatment toward prevention. “Looking ahead, we aim to focus increasingly on personalised prevention while ensuring that people with Parkinson’s disease receive the best possible care through close cooperation between research institutions, hospitals, and outpatient networks,” he said.

The anniversary also paid tribute to the 20,000 participants who have contributed to NCER-PD research over the past decade. Their involvement, alongside the dedication of Luxembourg’s research and healthcare professionals, has been pivotal in propelling NCER-PD’s mission from precision medicine toward the long-term goal of preventing neurodegenerative diseases.

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SOURCE: LUXEMBOURG INSTITUTE OF HEALTH